Stein returned to Marie's room and hesitated. He entered quietly, slipping off his lab coat and retrieving his pillow before propping himself up against the dresser again, and began researching.

Marie woke a little while later to the sound of someone typing. She allowed herself a small smile, and lowered her hand over the side of the bed to tangle in Stein's hair, still half asleep. The typing stopped and Marie yawned, twisting a piece of his hair around her finger.

Then what she was doing crashed over her and she let out a small "Eep!" as she jerked back. Stein just chuckled.

"Glad to see you're awake, Marie." He said, returning to his reading.

"I don't understand why I fell asleep like that, in the middle of eating!" She exclaimed. "I never do that!"

Stein kept his eyes trained on the laptop. "Perhaps you were simply more tired than you realized."

Marie was silent. He looked over and she smiled. "I guess you're right, Franken. What else could it be?"

'What else indeed.' Stein hid his smirk. "Did you have any dreams, Marie?" He asked suddenly.

Marie's smile faded immediately and he could see the tears welling in her eye. She suddenly shook her head, a tear slipping from her eye and down her cheek. Her hand reached up to brush it away even as she lied to him.

Stein frowned and closed the laptop. "Suppressing the dream won't help you any, Marie."

"I- I don't know what you're talking about, Franken." She said quickly.

Stein stood, setting the laptop on the floor as he did, and sat down on the side of her bed. "Marie, you have to face it. If you don't, the dreams won't end. The nightmares won't end." He gently tilted her head up to look at him.

"You're stronger than the nightmares, Marie."

Tears fell down her cheek and she pulled her chin away from him. "You just don't understand. I'm not afraid in them… it just hurts so badly and I can never do anything to stop it. I can't transform, I can't breathe…"

Stein awkwardly pulled her into his arms. Marie sagged against him, sobs tearing through her body. He gently smoothed her hair until the worst were done, and then pushed her back up.

"Transform."

She looked at him blankly.

"Marie, transform. It will help to disperse the nightmare, seeing that you can." He stood and held him arm out to his side.

Marie just stared at him and then closed her eye. Stein watched the shudder that ran through her body and soul before it calmed and he saw the familiar warping, the flash of light. He reached out to resonate with her; a small smile crossed his face.

And then Marie screamed. The light seemed to explode, her soul trembling violently as she collapsed against the bed, tears streaming down her cheek. She lay on her side, shaking, her knees pulled up to her chest.

Stein was at her side in a second, pulling her into his arms. He could feel the pain she had just experienced through the resonance. His skin still tingled from how vividly it had been shared. She sobbed against him, her body shaking.

"I… can't…"

Stein saw it then. Black bands that flared to life around Marie's soul. Black bands that kept her locked in her current form, and he swore underneath his breath.

While Laryn's soul wasn't haunting Marie, it seemed one last spell was.

Even as he watched the bands returned to their faded state, but now that he was aware of their presence he could plainly see them. Stein held Marie, her head resting on his shoulder as he ran through everything he knew, his hand cranking the screw desperately.

It wasn't enough. With a sigh he realized that he was going to have to leave Marie alone or recruit help.

"I wish I could, Stein. But I'm not to leave Lord Death's side, you know that." Spirit's voice came over the phone.

Stein sighed and hung up the phone. Recruiting help was becoming difficult. With a sigh he called one last person.

"Hello-nya~!"

Stein turned the screw in his head before responding. "Blair, are Maka and Soul back from their mission yet?"

"I'm sorry, who's calling?"

Stein sighed. "It's Hakase Stein. I need to speak with Maka or Soul."

The feline woman's laughter echoed over the phone. "They're not back yet, nya~"

Stein rubbed his forehead briefly, and turned the screw over. "Would you do me a favor, Blair?" He asked, dreading the consequences.

"What's that?"

"Marie's was hurt recently and I need to leave-"

Blair cut him off. "I'd love to come spend some time with Marie-chan!"

Stein blinked. "Really?" He was unaware that the two "women" had any type of connection.

"Of course! I'll come right over, nya~"

"Alright, you know the way?"

"Who doesn't know where that big foreboding place is, hmm?" Blair's voice laughed. "I'll be more than happy to help Marie-chan get better!"

'Oh Death, what did I just invite into my lab?' Stein wondered as he hung up the phone.

Blair bounced up to the lab about thirty minutes later. She stood knocking on the door until Stein went to open the unlocked door for her.

"Where is Marie-chan at?!" She practically squealed, a bag held underneath her arm. "I can't wait to get to help her feel better!"

Stein flinched inwardly as the feline bounced up the stairs he pointed at. He followed more slowly, and found Blair standing at the top of the stairs, looking around hesitantly. "First door on the left, Blair."

She smiled, nodded and walked over to it. She entered without announcing herself. To Stein's surprise, there was silence in the room. He stepped over and peered in.

Blair's bag was on the floor and she was in her cat form, curled up against Marie's side. The death scythe had managed to drift off to sleep, but even in sleep her fingers were reflexively stroking the cat's fur. Stein allowed himself a smile, suddenly much less worried.

Stein sat in the DWMA's library, a pile of books on each side that he hadn't looked through yet, another pile of discarded books directly in front of him. Nothing he had read was reassuring in the slightest. In fact, it seemed that without the witch who had cast the spell in the first place, removing it may actually be impossible.

If that was the case, Marie would never be able to become a weapon again.

The only breadcrumb that he had managed to get ahold of was that it may be possible for someone of the same type of witch to break the spell. Or, he could approach old Mabaa herself and beg for her aid.

Even Stein laughed at the absurdity of that. Mabaa, willingly helping a weapon that had sent more than one of her own daughters to their demise? No meister or weapon had any love from that witch.

With a new purpose, Stein stood, and walked towards the Death Room and Shinigami-sama.

A/N: I hope you enjoy this update :3

Love you all, thanks for the reviews! I don't own Soul Eater.